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Jordan and Lebanon
  • skip's retirement travel
Nov – Dec 2021

Jordan and Lebanon

A 14-day adventure by skip's retirement travel Read more
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  • Trip start
    November 21, 2021
    skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Bethany beyond Jordan

    November 22, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    This is considered by many to be the traditional site of Jesus' baptism. It doesn't look like much. It isn't even in the Jordan. Actually, it was, 2,000 years ago. The Jordan flooded regularly to the point that many of the earliest churches built here were damaged or destroyed by floods. In this sort of flood plain, it is expected that a river will change it's course over time.
    The 1st picture look down on the actual site. The 2nd picture shows the ruins of some of those flooded out churches.
    The 3rd picture looks over a basin with water from the site, some remains of ancient floor mosaics and the stairs down to the site.
    The 4th picture is at the edge of the Jordan River as it is today. That is the Palestine Territories on the opposite bank. Both sides of the river are set up for people to be baptized in the river.
    The 5th and 6th pictures are in the new Greek Orthodox Church of St. John the Baptist at the site. 5th is the the sanctuary with frescos and icons. Last is a floor mosaic.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    As-Salt

    November 22, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    As-Salt is an old and important hillside town not far from Amman. It is located along the historic highway between Amman and Jerusalem.
    It is thought it was founded about the time of Alexander the Great. From that time, As-Salt was an important trading center for the region and was considered the most important town to the east of the Jordan.
    Most of the existing buildings in the old town are late 19th, early 20th century Ottoman.
    The 1st picture is of the hillside town. The 2nd picture looks up a hillside, mostly residential street.
    The city maintains its historical trading environment with a large souk or market. The 3rd picture is a small portion of the souk.
    The 4th picture is in a coffee shop in the souk built in among the structural elements of the building above.
    The 5th picture is of an ottoman era palace where the Hashemite leader stayed until he was proclaimed king after Jordan gained independence.
    The last picture is in the dining room off a guest house where we had a marvelous lunch prepared by Fatima.. if you get to As-Salt, be sure to look her up.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Mt. Nebo

    November 23, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    This is the place where Scripture tells us that Moses had his look across the Jordan at the Promised Land and where he died. It has been an important site for centuries. I'm told that the 1st church on the mountain dates to the 5th or 6th century, but it was replaced by a Byzantine church. The ruins of that church with it's extensive mosaics is now inside a new building to protect what's left. The new building is a Franciscan Church.
    The 1st picture is looking west into the haze above the Promised Land. This is the direction Moses would have looked, but I expect he could see a lot more. The 2nd picture looks to the northeast into Jordan. The 3rd picture looks a bit more to the east. The green area towards the bottom marks the location of one of the Springs of Moses.
    The 4th picture looks over more ruins. These are of an ancient monastery. The last 2 pictures are inside the Franciscan Church. The 5th picture looks down the nave and shows the columns of the Byzantine church. The bright spaces are lit glass covering mosaics and an abandoned tomb. The last picture is one of the mosaics: the one I find most striking.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Karak

    November 23, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    This is a crusader fort built to protect the eastern borders of the kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century. This is my 1st crusader castle, and it certainly is large and impressive. In fact, it's one of the largest. The crusaders were only here about 50 years before they were ousted by Saladin.
    The 1st picture is the outside walls along one of the more vulnerable sides. The 2nd picture is on the ramp up into the castle proper. It goes between the walls up from the gate. The 3rd picture is a tunnel that has rooms off the sides that look like they might have been quarters. The 4th picture is the long, dark hallway of one of the dungeons.
    The 5th picture is a kitchen, and the last is an addition built by the Ottomans.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Petra along the Entry Road

    November 24, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Petra is one of those places that is so large, it takes more than one post to capture just a portion of it. And it is so captivating that it takes more than one post, too. I've allocated 3.
    The entry road is a portion of the caravan route (see the main Petra post). It not only served as an easily secured road, it also was a necropolis, part of the water collection and storage system, an art gallery and more.
    The 1st picture shows carved niches that probably held statues of gods. The 2nd picture shows the deep canyon through which the road runs. The 3rd picture is some of the original paving stones from more the 2,000 years ago, still in situ.
    The 4th picture is more of the canyon. You can make out carving on the right hand wall.
    The 5th picture is a portion of the water channels that were built along both walls to channel water from the springs up above and from collected runoff from the side canyons to direct the water to large cisterns. Selling water to travelers was there 1st big business.
    The last picture is just before the end of the road. The bright wall bid bike through the gap is the Treasury. All in all, a very impressive entry to the city.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Petra

    November 24, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    You Indiana Jones fans recognize this building. For those of you who are not fans, this is the so called Treasury at Petra that was featured in the Last Crusade. Most archaeologists these days think this is a tomb, most likely royal. But whatever it was, this building hewn out of the rock face is the only possible picture to headline a post about Petra. And it is another of those places that is far more impressive in person than in a book or on a screen.
    Petra is a significant archaeological site with human habitation evident to at least 7,000 BCE. What we see dates to the Nabataeans who made this place their capital. It is highly defensible; has reliable water and is in a great location astride one of the main caravan routes of antiquity. All making this a good guy profitable place.
    The 2nd picture looks down the main street towards the rest of town from near the Treasury. The 3rd picture is more rock carving of tombs, probably royal or noble.
    Petra was highly cosmopolitan. You can find traces of many ancient cultures here. As an example, the tomb carving in the 4th picture has an Assyrian motif.
    The 5th picture is of the Nabataeans' theater. This was remodeled by the Romans. I bet you thought Sky Boxes were a modern invention.
    The last picture is at the far end of the main street looking towards the sacred quarter where one of the temples of the Nabataeans remains standing and is visible through the gate. There are ruins of a Roman temple to the left.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Ad-Deir, "the Monastery," Petra

    November 24, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    This is the 2nd famous location at Petra after the Treasury (see the Petra post). And it is sometimes mistaken for it's more famous neighbor. It is unlikely that this was actually a monastery. It probably was carved as some sort of religious site, and it seems likely that it may have been used as a church in the Byzantine period
    It is located on the ridge high above the valley of Petra. In fact, the climb to reach it involves climbing more than 900 steps.
    The 1st picture is ad-Deir. The 2nd picture is an open flat area nearby that could have been part of the purpose of the ancient site. The 3rd picture is of rock carvings opposite the area in the 2nd picture.
    The 4th picture is a paved walkway leading away from ad-Deir towards the places that overlook the surrounding area
    The 5th and 6th pictures are a couple of the views over the surrounding wadis.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Desert camp, Wadi Rum

    November 24, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    No, this isn't a rustic camp. Glamping might not even capture it. It is in the desert of Wadi Rum (see another post), and it is very comfortable.
    The 1st picture looks along a small part if the facilities with 2 rows of cabins located each side of a central way. It was taken before dawn as light was just starting to come up.
    The 2nd picture is of the camp chef removing dinner from a fire pit buried in the sand for hours. The lamb and chicken cooked in this traditional Bedouin way was delicious.
    The 3rd picture is in the main hospitality tent building used for meals and after dinner entertainment.
    The last 2 pictures are of sunrise over the desert at the camp.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Wadi Rum

    November 25, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Wadi Rum is the largest wadi in Jordan. Today it is a protected area. It is an extraordinary example of the desert environment in this part of the world.
    For those who aren't familiar with the word or whose understanding is hazy, wadi is the Arabic word for a valley. It is sometimes, but not always, associated with valleys that have flowing water only during storm runoff events.
    This wadi is sometimes called the Valley of the Moon for it's surprising landscape. It is possible some of these pictures might look familiar as Wadi Rum has been the setting for many movies, among them: Lawrence of Arabia and, more recently, The Martian.
    The 1st 4 pictures are various viewss showing the extraordinary stark beauty of the place.
    The 5th picture is of a natural formation that looks a bit like a sphinx. It is not carved. Natural erosive processes created it.
    The last picture is of a small part of the petroglyphs on a rock wall or cliff in the wadi. These are thousands of years old.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Dead Sea

    November 25, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    What is a trip to this part of the world without a stop to float in the Dead Sea? You probably know that this is the lowest point on earth at about 480 meters below sea level. The water is about 10 times saltier than the oceans, making it near impossible to swim under water. The salt is considered healthy (for external use only) as are mud baths full of Dead Sea salt.
    Here are 5 pictures at a beach resort in Jordan to look at the Sea and the beach in use by a few people. The temperature was in the 80s farenheit.
    Notice how far down the water is. The Dead Sea is shrinking as evaporation exceeds the rate of inflow.
    As it was pretty hazy, Israel across the way is barely visible.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Ancient Amman

    November 26, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Ammon, formerly known as Philadelphia and before that as Rabbah, dates to at least 7,000 BCE. In the 13rh century, it was the capital of the Ammonites. What today is known as the Citadel is located on a hill that is in central, modern Amman. But it was fortified at least as early as the 18th century BCE. As in much of this part of the world, the ancient town was located within the walls. What is a bit unusual is that the citadel was continuously occupied up until the 19th century.
    The 1st picture is just inside the citadel entrance. The 2nd picture is of the Temple of Hercules within the citadel.
    The 3rd picture looks at a later addition to ancient Amman by the Romans. Every Roman city had to have a theater. This one is located across what was a stream that is now in a conduit and is built into the opposite hillside.
    The 4th period recalls the Christian or Byzantine period in Amman with the remains of a church located within the citadel.
    The 5th picture moves forward to the Muslim period with the Umayyad palace. The last picture is of one of the 120 cisterns I'm told exist here. This one is said to have been built by the Ottomans.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Jordan miscellany

    November 26, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    There is a lot to see in Jordan. To try to do the country justice, I've decided to gather together some more or less random pictures and impressions of the country.
    The 1st picture is of the River Jabbok. This river is where scripture tells us Jacob went to meet his brother Esau after their long separation. In fact, I was told that this is the very place.
    The 2nd picture looks at the Jordanian landscape. Of note here is the road way down below. It is the road we were traveling. It is also the King's Highway. This is s major trade route from western Arabia through the middle east to Damascus and beyond. This is the route controlled by the Nabataeans with their capital in Petra (see other posts).
    The 3rd picture is in a mosaic workshop. The artists here are all disabled in various ways. Their work is exquisite.
    The 4th picture is in a church in Madaba. The picture is a floor mosaic map of the middle east, showing all the important cities of the region. The church was built around the mosaic; even columns were sited where the the original tesserae are missing.
    The 5th picture is a wood fired bread oven. Look closely and you'll see that the bread dough is stretched like pizza dough and then placed directly on the superheated stones that make up the floor of the oven. Really good bread baked in a way that is new to me.
    Last but not least is a Thanksgiving turkey dinner prepared using Jordanian cooking and spices. It was outstanding and a real treat to celebrate the holiday in a new and cosmopolitan way. Right up my alley.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Ancient Jerash

    November 26, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Known in Roman times as Gerasa or Antioch on the Golden River, settlement here dates back to neolithic times. Inscriptions attribute the founding of the city to Alexander the Great.
    Ancient Jerash is best known today as one of the best preserved Greco-Roman cities anywhere. These pictures recognize the historic and archaeological importance of the site.
    The 1st picture is the triumphal arch of Hadrian celebrating his visit in about 129 CE. It is located along the road about 400 meters before the city gate
    The 2nd picture is taken from the Temple of Jupiter, looking down on the famous oval forum and the even older temple of Zeus. Normally the Romans just built on top of what they found, but it is thought that the Zeus temple was used for Jupiter worship until the new temple was ready. So they decided to preserve it. The 3rd picture is a better view of the famous forum from near the Temple of Jupiter.
    The 4th picture looks back from the forum to the temple of Jupiter on the hill. The temple of Zeus is just visible to the right (the box like building with a stone arch). Also, the stone pavement is original from about 2,000 years ago.
    The 5th picture is the Cardo Maximus, the main north south street. It is a straight, colonnaded street that runs like this for almost a kilometer. There would have been shops on each side behind the colonnades.
    The last picture looks through a gate up to the Temple of Diana (or Artemis to the Greeks).    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Desert castles

    November 27, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    These are 3 castles built in the desert east of Amman. They are old, built by different people's and for different purposes.
    Pictures 1&2 are of Harana fortress that they think dates to the 7th century . It is built along the eastern trade route from the Red Sea to Syria and beyond. The structure appears to be for security: Protecting caravans on their way. It also appears to have functioned as a caravanserai, a minor trade point and short term storage site for goods in transit.
    Pictures 3&4 are of Qasr Amra. This was described as having been built in the 8th century more as a rest stop or even a resort for wealthy Arabs of the time who wanted to spend some time in the desert. It is unusual in that it contains frescos of animals, plants and people. It is doubly unusual in that many people are naked. Most of these are related to the bath house.
    Pictures 5&6 are of Azraq fortress. This one was built by the Romans to protect their eastern border. It was maintained and modified by the successive controlling powers. For example, the square building in the 5th picture is a mosque built during the Islamic period. The castle was used continually until modern times. Lawrence of Arabia slept here during one journey from Arabia to Damascus during the British Mandate in the 20th century.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Nature reserves

    November 27, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    We visited 2 small nature reserves in eastern Jordan. Both are dedication to rehabilitation projects, but their foci are very different
    The 1st is the Shumari Wildlife Refuge. The primary goal here is the breeding and reintroduction of the Arabian oryx, a native species that was hunted to extinction as recently as the middle of the 20th century. The 1st 2 pictures are taken here. The 1st is the oryx, and the 2nd is a quick glance at the vegetation here.
    The 2nd refuge is the Azraq Wetland Reserve. This was an important oasis for travelers and for wildlife, especially migrating birds. However, it is being drained by over pumping. They say that about 25% of the water used in Amman (a city if some 4 million) comes from here.
    The 3rd picture looks at a spot that's more or less what the oasis ought to look like. The 4th picture looks at some of the vegetation where the water has dried up. The 5th picture looks over an area that not too many years ago had standing water at least a meter deep. The last picture looks over some open water that is part if the project to restore the wetland.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Barouk Cedar Forest, Lebanon

    November 28, 2021 in Lebanon ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    This forest is part of the Shouf Biosphere Reserve on Shouf Mountain. This is my 1st time actually seeing the famous cedars of Lebanon in situ. The cedars of are historic and religious significance and the tree is a symbol for Lebanon, having been placed on the national flag. These are the trees said to have been used to build Phoenician ships and were gifted to Solomon for use in building the 1st temple.
    The 1st 3 pictures are in the forest taken during our walk there. The 2nd 3 pictures look across the valley to several sections of the forest    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Beit El Dine

    November 28, 2021 in Lebanon ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    This palace was started near the end of the 18th century and was built on a place of a Druze hermitage called Beiteddine (House of Faith). It is a place of spectacular beauty and opulence, and legend had it that the architect's hands were cut off to keep it that way. Today, it's the Lebanese President's summer residence.
    The 1st picture is the outer courtyard where there were rooms upstairs in the building to the right for visiting dignataries to stay. Downstairs was a stable for their horses. Today the stable is the museum space in the 2nd picture. The surfaces have been finished as a museum, but I still find the architecture interesting.
    The 3rd picture is the middle courtyard. The building straight ahead is the main public building where the emir or whoever was in charge over the years had meetings.
    The 4th picture is one of the meeting rooms showing the inlaid woodwork that is found throughout all the rooms we were able to visit.
    The 5th picture is said to be the main sitter my room of the wife of the emir. They could sit here and keep track of what was happening in the courtyard without being visible to anyone outside.
    The last picture fascinates me. There was a complete bath house included with hot, cold and temperate rooms, etc, found in most hammans. This is the ceiling is the hot room. The folks who lived here were not Muslim. So when they built this room during the Ottoman period, they were able to include this forbidden symbol in the design, with the powers that be none the wiser.
    The inner courtyard remains closed as private.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Mosaic museum

    November 28, 2021 in Lebanon ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Downstairs in the Beit El Dine (see another post), in what was likely servants quarters, storage rooms, stables, etc. is a mosaic museum. Most of these are floor mosaics in amazingly good condition. Some are from churches, and many are from ancient residences.
    These mosaics were brought here to preserve them as the works of art they are. Inscriptions date them to the 5th and 6th century. It's probably obvious that I'm fascinated by mosaics. So it's no surprise to find another post about them.
    Some are inside. Some are outdoors. I'll not comment further other than to invite your enjoyment of the extraordinary artistry required to create such work.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Deir al Kamar

    November 28, 2021 in Lebanon ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Deir al Kamar is a mountain village whose name means Monastery of the Moon. The earliest record of the village is on the 13th century when some land was sold to the Teutonic Knights. It served as the capital iyf Lebanon from the 16th to the 18th century. Today, the town is mostly Maronite Christian, but all the other religions and sects are living in the region.
    The 1st picture is the Midane or main square with one of the public buildings in the background. The 2nd picture is of one of the palaces built for the brothers of the head administrator of the area. The 4rd picture looks again across the square on the opposite direction. This is another palace. At the left edge is the 16th century Fahkreddine mosque.
    The 4th picture is the church of the Lady of the Hill whose statue is in the 5th picture. This Maronite Church dates to the 16th century. It is sited where the old monastery once was.
    The 6th picture is a side street in this mountainside town.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Byzantine-Roman Tyre

    November 29, 2021 in Lebanon ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Tyre is the city of the kingdom whose king was Hiram, the guy who sent cedars of Lebanon (see other posts) to Solomon for use in building the temple. It is one of the oldest cities in the world and was one of the major Phoenician cities of antiquity.
    The 1st picture is the Cardo Maximus in the Byzantine part of Tyre. In the distance you can see Hadrian's Gate that marks the point between the Byzantine section that is basically a necropolis and the Roman section. The 2nd picture is the Cardio Maximus in the Roman section with the standard colonnades (see the Jerash post).
    The 3rd picture is of a baptismal font in an ancient church, and the 4th picture is an ancient fountain or nymphaeum.
    The last 2 pictures are taken at the hippodrome. This is said to be the largest hippodrome in the Roman world. In the far distance, just visible are the remains of a Roman aqueduct. A closer view of the aqueduct is in the 6th picture.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Old Tyre Port

    November 29, 2021 in Lebanon ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Much like the Roman Byzantine Tyre post, this part of the city adjacent to the waterfront is ruins. However, the importance of Tyre is in it's maritime history.
    The 1st picture looks along the section of the Cardo Maximus at the port. This view looks towards the Mediterranean and the city's now mostly submerged harbor. The 2nd picture looks across the harbor. If you look closely you can just see the tops of a rock structure above the waterline. It is likely that this is part of the breakwater the protected the ancient harbor.
    The 3rd picture is of a church. You can see the apse to the left. In the background is the Roman bath. The hypostyle structure for heating is visible.
    The 4th picture is an unusual square stadium. I haven't been able to find anything about what this is about.
    The last picture looks across another part of the ruined port. I hope you are getting a sense of how beautiful this place is.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Sidon's Souk

    November 29, 2021 in Lebanon ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    This is one of the best examples of a traditional middle eastern souk or market in Lebanon. If you've been reading these posts, you probably know I really enjoy the marvelous messiness, the glorious chaos, the energy of these places. Unfortunately, much of Lebanon's business takes Mondays off. So here are some looks at the vaulted souk on a quiet day.
    The 1st 2 pictures look at very different streets in the souk. The inner parts of the market are vaulted like the 1st picture with small shops and workshops; outer streets are more open with larger shops.
    The 3rd and 4th pictures look at a couple small shops and a covered alley. The 3rd picture is a bakery, and the 4th looks past an accessories shop into a "clothing street". These souks are generally organized such that similar products are grouped together.
    The 5th picture is a shell of a Murex snail. This is the source of the very expensive "royal purple" dye that was so coveted back then. There seems to be a debate as to whether the dye and the process of extraction was discovered in Tyre or Sidon. Fact is, I see that as immaterial as both cities became incredibly wealthy from the trade.
    The last picture is of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, dating to the 8th century, that was closed. Of interest to someone like me is that I'm told that the church incorporates a 1st century room where the apostles Peter and Paul met in 58 CE when Paul was being transported to Rome. It is said to be a coincidence that Peter was there.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Sidon Sea Castle

    November 29, 2021 in Lebanon ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Probably the 1st thing you see in Sidon is the Sea Castle. This castle was built by the crusaders in the 13th century on an island just off the coast of Sidon. Today it is connected to the mainland by a narrow causeway. What was on the island before the crusaders arrived remains unclear. One possibility is a temple to Marqart, a local god. Another thought is that the ancient King's palace was here.
    The 1st picture is of the castle from the shore near the causeway. The tower to the left was built by the Mamluks after they routed the crusaders. The 2nd picture looks to the castle along the causeway. This was also built by the Mamluks.
    As you can see, this is a small castle, especially when compared to Karak in Jordan (see other post). Regardless of size, every crusaders castle had to have 2 things: it had to be defensible; and they had to build a church. Being on an island answers the 1st criterion. The 2nd can be seen in the 3rd picture, though the church was converted to a mosque, which is what the small done shows.
    The 4th picture is part of what remains of the castle structure. The 5th picture looks across to the mosque where it sits on the raised platform. The last picture is taken inside the tower built by the Mamluks pointed out in the 1st picture.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Ain Jar

    November 30, 2021 in Lebanon ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    Ancient Ain Jar (modern Anjar) is the only Umayyad city in Lebanon. It was founded in the early 8th century but lasted only about 50 years until the founder died and his heirs fought over the city, destroying it. It remained abandoned and buried until the early 20th century when Armenian refugees escaping the genocide settled here. They found the ruins when they started digging foundations for homes.
    Ain Jar means water source of flowing water and was named for the abundant water here. The Umayyads settled here for the water and proximity to Damascus, their home. (It's less than 7 km to the Syrian border.)
    As they had little if any knowledge of planning, engineering or construction, they hired Romans and Byzantines to build their city. Hence they have very Roman city: entirely on a grid with walls, defensive towers etc.
    The 1st picture looks along the Cardo Maximus or main street. There would have been a colonnade on both side with shops on the ground floor and residences above. I'm told there were 285 shops here. If you look closely, you can see openings along the center of the street. This is the 8th century drainage system that still works
    The 2nd picture is the grand palace we're the city was administered and the founder like bed. The 3rd picture is a niche in the Palace courtyard where a guard would stand. You can just make out the carvings of palm trees and camels, the symbols of the Umayyads. The 4th picture looks over the ruins of their mosque. The 5th picture is of the lesser palace or harem. And the last picture is over a Roman style bath house.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon

    Zahle

    November 30, 2021 in Lebanon ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Zahle is the capital of Bekaa, the valley region between Syria and the coast. It's most famous site is the tower of Mary the Mother of Jesus in the 1st picture. She looks over the city as a protector. In one hand she holds grapes; in the other wheat. Both are symbols for the Bekaa valley which is a rich agricultural region.
    The 2nd picture is a street scene along the Berdawni River that runs through town. This is a busy summer promenade. So you can tell it's well off season as most shops are closed for the winter. The 3rd picture is of a small chapel at the foot the the Mary Tower. I particularly like the glass wall overlooking the valley.
    The last 2 pictures are both taken from the top of the Mary Tower. The 4th looks over Zahle in the same direction that the statue faces, and the 5th takes a longer look over the Bekaa valley.    Read more

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